France, Germany, Poland warn of more violence in Ukraine

Paris, Mar 1: Foreign ministers of France, Germany, and Poland — currently leading an European mediation in Ukraine — voiced concern Friday over the worsening security situation in the country, urging for unity to complete a political transition.

“We are deeply concerned with the tensions in Crimea,” Xinhua quoted top French diplomat Laurent Fabius as saying. ” Everything must be done to decrease the tension in the eastern region and promote peaceful discussions among relevant parties.”

In a joint statement with German and Polish counterparts Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Radoslaw Sikorski, Fabius reaffirmed “support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country”, urging “all parties in Ukraine to refrain from actions that could challenge this”.

On Friday, armed men took control of two airports in the Crimea region, a day before Ukrainian security forces were put on alert in response to unidentified gunmen’s seizure of local government and parliament buildings.

The foreign ministers said the Ukrainian crisis would be solved “if major political forces unite and pursue a common agenda”.

Fabius, Steinmeier and Sikorski also called on the newly-appointed government to take swift moves to improve the standards of living of the citizens of Ukraine “through implementation of the transition and modernisation reforms, including fight with corruption, and respect for democratic values”.